By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday November 5, 2024
Goran Ivanisevic, the brand new coach of Elena Rybakina, had a number of provides come his manner after he parted methods with Novak Djokovic earlier this season. The previous Wimbledon champion settled on the one he discovered probably the most thrilling – an opportunity to take Rybakina’s sport to the subsequent degree.
In an interview with Sasa Ozmo of Tennis Majors, the Croatian legend defined his reasoning.
“There have been another provides, however I feel I selected the suitable one for me – due to Elena’s enjoying fashion and potential, but additionally due to her character. Elena is calm and I can’t wait to get going. I feel it’s going to be nice,” he mentioned.
After a five-year partnership with Djokovic that noticed the Serbian legend go to the highest of the Grand Slam males’s singles titles totem pole, Ivanisevic says he’s desperate to go down a special path. Rybakina, a 25-year-old from Kazakhstan who received the Wimbledon title in 2022, has the potential to win extra majors, he says.
“I do know that many individuals discovered it odd and that individuals have been stunned by our collaboration, however not me,” Ivanisevic instructed Tennis Majors. “I wanted a U-turn after Novak. I received every part with Novak, so I’m extraordinarily wanting ahead to this new problem. Actually, throughout my time on the ATP Tour, I by no means pictured myself on the ladies’s tour, however I don’t see myself in males’s tennis for the time being.”
đź’¬ “After Novak, it’s actually onerous to educate anybody, so I wanted one thing utterly completely different.” Learn our unique interview with Goran Ivanisevic, by @ozmo_sasa ⬇️https://t.co/j0w7aTw0v0
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) November 5, 2024
Ivanisevic says he’ll use the low season to get to know Rybakina. He believes that there’s loads of room for progress in her sport.
“I don’t know her too properly personally, however my pal Zule is her health coach,” he mentioned. We labored along with Tomas Berdych – and the phrase across the Tour typically is that she is a good particular person. Recreation-wise, she has acquired an enormous serve, tall, robust hitter who performs aggressively, she received Wimbledon similar to me.
“I really feel I can educate her one thing. I imply, she is already No 5 on the earth, however I feel she will be able to win extra Slams, that’s for positive.”